Regardless of your interview format, there are a few core question types that

you may encounter:

Behavioral or Situational Questions and Prompts

Interviewers may ask you to describe a time you experienced a situation that you’re likely to
encounter in the position you’re seeking. For example, “Tell me about a time when you had
to manage conflict.”

When answering these questions, make sure you cover 1) the situation, 2) your actions, and
3) the outcome. Don’t be afraid to emphasize your individual role in the situation and the
rationale for your actions. Employers are trying to get a feel for how you will behave and
conduct yourself in specific scenarios.

The "Why you?" Question

When an interviewer asks, “Why should we hire you?”, they are asking you to explain your
strengths, how you plan to fill the organization’s needs, and what you can contribute to the
workplace.

Remember that it’s not an interviewer’s job to extract information from you about why you
are a good candidate. It’s up to you to make a compelling case for yourself—don’t be afraid
to highlight your best qualities and skills. As always, balance confidence and humility. This
question gives you a unique opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and initiative if
you’ve taken the time to look into the organization, its history, and its future. It also allows
you to present how your contribution can help the organization.

The Weakness Question

For many people, the most daunting questions ask you to identify personal failures. For
example, “What’s your biggest weakness?”

While it may be tempting, don’t try to dodge this question or conceal your answer. Everyone
has weaknesses. Think critically about something you’re working on professionally and
practice ways to candidly communicate this in a positive light. Be smart about what you
share, too. Although something might be true, don’t choose it if it will interfere with the
opportunity. 

Role Play or Simulation Questions

Interviewers may ask you to get into character and engage in a workplace scenario. For
example, “If you were a customer service representative, how would you handle meeting
with a frustrated customer?”

Commit to the scenario. Don’t put on a performance; instead, listen intently and respond
genuinely. Interviewers are looking at both your interpersonal skills and your ability to
problem solve in the context of their organization.

Case Study Questions

A case study question will ask you to analyze a business case or situation, which may include
either a problem or potential opportunity. Case questions can vary from brief brainstorming
discussions to extensive problem solving sessions that may last for the entire interview. For
example, your interviewer might start the case study with, “Airline company XYZ has been
growing 20% year over year. Until now, they have only focused on domestic flight routes,
but they are considering entering a new market. What do you recommend and why?”

In a case study question, you should first take a minute or two to organize your thoughts and
plan your approach in a logical way. These types of interviews will typically be interactive
and you will need to ask the interviewer strategic questions to collect more information in
order to reach your answer or recommendation. 

You will need to prepare and practice in advance for these types of interviews. Most
organizations that use case questions in their interview process will have resources available
to help you; be sure to do your research to know what to expect.